Improvement in gyroscope-tops



H. BEESLEY.

GYROSCOPE TOP.

N0.-188,095. Patented March 6,1877.

N. PETERS. FHOTO-L'HUGRAPHER WASh l mu D n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY BEESLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO IRA JENREE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GYROSCOPE-TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188,095, dated March 6, 1877 application filed November 27, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY BEEsLEY, of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, a citizen of England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toy Tops, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide an amusing and instructive toy; and it consists of a single metal wheel on an axle or shaft, which projects from each side of the wheel an equal distance, and is supported by means of adjustable metal screws, with depressions in their ends to receive pointed ends of the shaft, the screws holding within an annular hollow ring. The object of making the ring hollow is to reduce its weight, and make it so light that when the top is set in motion the friction on the supporting-points will cause it to revolve rapidly in the direction of the motion of the top, and present, when in motion, the appearance of a globe.

I am well aware that tops have been made similar in appearance to this, and that in this are all the principles of the gyroscope, none of which do I claim as new. But I do not know of any top heretofore made with a hollow ring or adjustable screws, providing for the top being always in the center of the ring and readily removed, if desired. The metal screws for supporting the top are made with round heads, and are in position when passed through the ring the required distance, the heads extending beyond the periphery of the ring about one-fourth of an inch. I provide a wooden pedestal of convenient height, provided witha slight depression in its top, to receive the round head of either of said screws, and when the top is in motion it will support itself in any position above the horizontal line, with one head resting on such pedestal, the other being unsupported. It may,

in like manner, be supported and caused to travel along a small cord or wire by means of a slot in one of said screw-heads, which strides the cord or wire, and is all the support required when the top is in motion.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a view of the top supported on the pedestal by one screw-head. A is the wooden pedestal; B, the top; 0, the shaft to which the top is rigidly attached; D, the annular hollow ring, and E the round-headed screws which receive the points of and support shaft 0, as described above. In the head ot'screw E, on the unsupported end, is shown the slot used to cause the top to travel along a cord or wire. In this View the ring D is shown in section, to show its hollow form and the manner of inserting the screws E.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing more clearly the manner of supporting the top in the ring D and its position when ready for use.

When the top B is set in motion, which is done in the ordinary way by means of a cord wound upon shaft 0, and suddenly pulled off, and then placed upon the floor or table upon either of the screw-heads, the annular ring D is, by the friction upon the lower supportingpoint, caused to revolve with such rapidity as to assume the appearance of a semi-transparent globe.

Having thus described my invention, whatI desire to secure by Letters Patent, and claim as my invention, is-- A gyroscope-top consisting of the hollow ring D, wheel B, shaft 0, and round-headed screws E E, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described and shown.

HENRY BEESLEY. Witnesses:

O. H. THOMPSON, Tuos. M. BBINTNALL. 

